Although not life-threatening, warts can be unsightly and even painful problems that most of us will experience at least once in our lives. Caused by a virus, the warts treated by the podiatrists at Dr. Kenneth Meisler and Associates in New York City are generally common warts - the raised, bumpy growths that are grayish in color and can appear anywhere on the feet, toes or ankles - and plantar warts, which grow inward on the soles of the feet and can make walking very uncomfortable. Here, Dr. Meisler and his colleagues - Dr. Rocco Sellitto, Dr. Stephanie Hochman, Dr. Christopher Minacapilli, Dr. Martin Wendelken and Dr. Latoya Haskin - explain how warts are treated in their New York City, NY podiatry practice.

Medical treatment

One of the most common ways warts are treated by your podiatrist is with a chemical called liquid nitrogen, which exists at a temperature of about negative 330 degrees Fahrenheit. When applied to the wart, it freezes the affected skin, creating a blister under and around the wart that pushes it away from the skin in a matter of a few days. Other chemicals used in wart treatment include salicylic acid and cantharidin. Occasionally surgery is needed for warts that are unresponsive to chemical treatments.

Home treatment

Over-the-counter wart treatments are available at any pharmacy. They typically contain the same medication used at your podiatrist's office - liquid nitrogen or salicylic acid - although it is less concentrated and therefore may take longer to show results. It's important to remember that many "natural" at-home wart treatments - tape, garlic, tea tree oil, even pineapple - are considered anecdotal and may not give you any significant results.

If you have a wart on your foot or ankle that needs treatment, we encourage you to contact the office of Dr. Kenneth Meisler and Associates in New York City, NY. We look forward to helping you put your best foot forward!